Silk-recorder



March 29, 1932. Q CORNET 1,851,895

SILK RECORDER Filed July 19. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 SILK RECORDER FiledJuly 19, 1928' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 29, 1932'.

CORNET 1,851,895

SILK RECORDER Filed July 19, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 29,1932.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANDRE connnr, or LYON, FRANCE SILK-RECORDERApplication fi led July 19, 1928, Serial No. 294,018, and in France July29, 1927.

In the silk industry instruments are regularly used calledsilk-recorders, of which the purpose is to indicate the reactionproduced on a thread when it is stretched a certain amount.

Among these instruments, there are some which register automatically, ina continuous manner, on a band of paper, the variations in thickness ofa thread of silk.

Actually, if a thread of silk is taken and an attempt is made to stretchit a certain amount, it is necessary to exert on this thread a certaintension, which will be greater as the thread is thicker, and inversely,will be less according as the thread is finer. On the other hand, it isrecognized that, for slight stretchings and for silks of the same typeand origin, this tension is practically proportional to the thickness ofthe thread of silk.

The principle on which these instruments are based is, therefore, toexert on a thread, which is moving, a constant stretching, sufficientlyweak not to destroy the law of proportion mentioned above and toregister, automatically on a band of paper, the variations in thereaction produced on this thread by the stretching to which it issubmitted, a reaction which is equal and in the opposite sense to thetension.

39 In instruments of this kind, numerous improvements to which it is theobject of the present invention to bring about, the stretching of thethread is effected by rolling it on drums of increasing diameter.

number of members which can be taken sep- 'arately or preferably incombination, with a view to obtaining a continuous self-registeringsilk-recorder which functions absolutely 40 perfectly.

It consists essentially in certain improvements applied to the system ofstretching the thread as much as to the method of graphic registering.

It consists also, besides these main dispositions, in other differentdispositions to be used, preferably, at the same time, and these will beexplained more clearly hereafter.

It will be possible to understand it, with The present invention has forits object a.

the aid of the followin drawings given by way 0 example Fig. 1 is a diaammatic perspective view of such a self-registering silk-recorder.

Figs. 2-14 are actual detailed views of the different finished sections.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the whole.

In Fig. l on a shaft (1, connected directly and receiving a rotarymovement from the motor, are fixed three drums b, b 6 of increasingdiameters, which are all three covered with rubber.

On these drums bear rollers 0, a, 0 which can, under the action of alever d, be raised, and in front of these drums are placed two pulleys eand 6 each with four grooves and mounted freely on their shaft in asupport f,

description and which, constantly moved by a spring 9, can,

by means of a crank lever h pivoted on a point i move parallel to it.

The. recording system proper iscomposed of a pendulum j, which, carryingtwo small pulleys lc and k is connected with a system Z, oscillating ona fixed axis m. This system includes, in its pivoting: an arm n, at theend of which is fixed a needle 0, supported on a cylinder p covered witha band of paper,

a counter-weight q, able, with the aid of a screw, to be approached toand withdrawn from the centre of oscillation, in moving before agraduated scale s, the rod t of an oil dash pot u.

Moreover, the cylinder p is actuated by a slow rotary movement aroundits axis by the principal shaft a, with which it is connected by a trainof gears not shown in the -draw-' ings.

The shaft '1) of the aforesaid cylinder 32, moves the crank lever h, bymeans of a cam w (see Fig. 7) a wheel a: mounted on a bar 3 controlledby a .spring 2 and by a rod 2.

The system of rolling the thread on a bobbin 3 is worked by a hollowshaft 4 on which itis fixed and on which moves freely a pulley 5controlled by 6. Moreover, a piece 7, fixed on the shaft 4 as regardsthe rotary movement, but which can move paral-' lel to its own axis, isconstantly moved along against the aforementioned pulley 5, by means ofa rod 8 crossing the hollow shaft 4 bin 17, passes through the guide-14and then over the drum 6 of smallest diameter. It

next passes over the first groove of the pulley e returns round thesecond drum 1), of

slightly greater diameter than the former, on

which it makes three turns and passes each time over one of the groovesof pulley 6. From there, it passes over. the pulleys k and k of thependulum j of the, recording I system, and re-descends over the thirddrum 6 of a slightly greater diameter than 6 It then makes four turns onthis drum and passes each time over one of the grooves of the pulley cthen passes, between the guide pulleys 12 and 13, over pulley 11 of theoscillatory system, from where, finally, it arrives at the bobbin 3.

Because of the covering of rubber on the drums b, 12 b which preventsslipping, and of the pressing cylinders 2, 0, 0 the thread 16, beingthus forced to take the same movement as the circumference of theaforesaid drums, which becomes greater and greater in passing from thefirst tothe last, is thus tween the pieces'7 and 5 and so modifying theV stretched a certain amount which is always constant.

This stretching, resulting from the variations in thickrfess of thethread, produces a tension more or less great on the pendulum j whichoscillates on the axis m and marks these oscillations on the cylinder pactuated by a rotary movement on its axis 2) proportional to the speedof rotation of the shafta, and therefore to the lineal speed of thethread 16.

The oil dashpot u prevents displacements of the needle arising fromvibrations in the instrumentorfromaccidentalcauses. Invarying theposition of the counter-weight g by the aid of the screw 1',- theinstrument is regulated for all qualities of silk, whatever theirelasticity. I

Moreover, support f of the pulleys e and e is actuated, by the recordingcylinder p, in an alternative movement (arrows 18) so .as th prevent thethread of silk from passing always in the same place on the drums b, 6 band thus from cutting the rubber.

Then the thread, in pulling more or less on the pulley 11, tends toraise this in making the system 9 swing on its fixed axis 19, modifyingin the same proportion the pressure heforce of the impulse of the bobbin3.

With regard to the actual manufacture of the instrument,

fied, of such an instrument, one can set about it as follows, or inasimilar manner:

The drums b, b and b of Fig. 1 may be formed in two parts 20 and 21which are fixed on the axis a by means of a screw-nut 22 (Fig. 2). Thismethod of mounting allows the adjustment of the drums on the axis evenafter they have once been mounted, which assures a perfectly eventurning and thus overcomes one of the causes of the breaking of thethread.

The fixing of the rubber is assured by three movable plates 23, 24 and25, which press it against the ends of the drums. These plates arecontrolled by bolts 26 which cross the drum 21 and are supported on theinside of the drum 20. In screwing these bolts one presses the rubber51, which is thus fixed at one end and in the middle. The last plate 25is controlled by a nut 27, screwed on the end of the axis a. Thisserves, at the same time, to conceal the placement of the screws.

- This arrangement is very suitable for the trial of natural silks of acertain fineness.

For thicker silks and for artificial silks, the drum can be modified bydoing away with the rubber which wears much too rapidly.

In this case, the brass drums covered with rubber are replaced bycylinders of carborundum of very fine grain, made exactly to the desireddiameter. These are, then, the pulleys in Fig. 4 which are covered withrubber.

The pulleys 0, 0 and c intended to support the thread of silk on therubber so as to prevent all slipping, must be independent of each other,in such a way that the pressure will be constant, and they must beeasily removed, for the fluff from the silk lodges there and preventsthe instrument from working.

They are mounted each on a single roller bearing (Fig. 4) These bearingsare mount-.

ed on tubes such as 28. The separation is effected by the sleeve tubes29, which block the to communicate to them the movement of the lever 35swivelled at the point 36 andhaving the counter-weight 37, giving aconstant pressure.

The pulley 0 is mounted in the same way with a separate counter-weight.It is therefore completely independent of the first.

Pulley 0 is supported by a single red 38,

which carries a tube 39, allowing to pass, with a certain play, the pinof the pulley 0 and its tube of separation. The rod-38 being mounted onthe same axis as the rods 40 and 41, it is seen that the pulley 0 canmove some millimeters with regard to pulley 0 As it has also a thirdcounter-weight, it is seen that it will be completely independent of thepulley o and that the drum 5 is thus constant. I

This pulley can be removed elsewhere when the pulley c is raised bysimply unscrewing the loose screw-nut 42 which locks its roller bearingon the tube 39.

To simplify the workingof the instrument, the lever of the rheostat forstarting and regulating is mounted on the same axis as the control ofthe movement of the pulleys which must be separated from the drum everytime the instrument is stopped in order that the thread can be placedin.

For this purpose, the lever 43 controls the rheostat by means of an axis44. (Fig. 5.)

This axis has three small forks, each with a little pulley 45. Thesepulleys are supported on the end of the levers 35 and tend to raisethem. In moving the lever in the direction of the arrow, it is seen thatthe three counterweights are raised, that, on the contrary, the threepulleys are lowered and the progressive movement of the motor isstopped.

By acting in the opposite way, the three counter-weights 37 which placethe three pulleys against the drum are set free at the same time as themotor is set in motion. Following up this movement, a time comes, whenthe three pulleys c, 0 and 0 are in contact with the drum, when thesmall pulleys 45 leave the lever. The working of the lever can then becontinued to increase the speed, but it is seen that at this moment thelevers and the pulleys pressure on the i are now submitted only to theaction of their respective counter-weights.

To prevent the thread from always travel ling on the same point on therubber and in order not to cut the rubber very quickly, the

thread must be moved. It has been judged preferable not to move thethread during the course of the trial. which might harm the precision.It is sufficient to move it a certain amount every time a trial iscompleted.

To obtain this result (Fig. 6) the side of the recording drum p, placedvertically, bears a cam at a certain point. On this side is supported asmall pulley 46 fixed at the end of a lever held by a spring. Thislever, in moving, makes to move, by means of a ratchet 47, a toothedwheel 48 which is connected with an eccentric 49. At each turn of therecording drum, it is seen that the toothed wheel moves forward afew-teeth. This movement of the eccentric moves slightly the lever 50which is connected by diverse levers and axes to the support of theguide pulleys of the thread. At each turn of the drum, the thread istherefore moved a certain amount and does not be submitted to a constanttension, for variations in the tension can lessen the adherence of thethread on the rubber and, consequently,

instantly to clean it and to remove the fiufi'.

The force of the nucleus, and therefore the tension of the thread, areassured by friction. A movable deadener 57, running on the axis 54 anddriven by it by means of a key 58 can be supported with a variablepressure against the stopper 55. It results from this that the stopperand the nucleus which are interdependent, are driven with a force whichdepends on that which acts on the movable deadener 57.

This deadener is controlled by the thread itself which passes over apulley 59 (Figs. 13 and 14) and tends to lower it, exerting thus acertain traction on a rod 60, which is provided at its lower end with acounter-weight 61 and with a small screw 62 (Figs. 8 and 9). The tension'of the thread of silk is thus communicated successively to the rod 60,to the screw 62, and to a crank lever 63 which carries the pulleys 64,which act in their turn on the deadener 57, tending thus to remove itfrom the nucleus carrying the bobbin.

It is thus seen that, if the tension of the thread increases for anycause whatever, the deadener is brought back behind, lessening thus thepressure with which it rests on the fibre stopper 55 which lessens thetension by lessening the speed of rotation of the winding up bobbin 3 byreducing the friction of the element 55 thereagainst. There is thereforean automatic regulation of the thread. To arrive at a greater precision,another system has been added (Fig. 10) which consists of a cylinder 65,carrying an arm 66 which can rest, with a variable pressure, against theaxis of the aforesaid pulley 64. This pressure is obtained by a spiralscrew 67 which is inside the cylinder and is fixed at the other end on aloose cap 68 which can easily be moved by hand. In turningthis cap, itis seen that the screw can be made to move with more or less force onthe cylinder, and, consequently, to produce an eflort more or less greaton the lever 66, and to rest more or less, by means of the pulleys 64,the deadener 57 against the fibre disc 55, and there is thus a means ofregulating precisely the tension of the thread of silk. A damper 69(Fig. 9) regulates the movements of the pulleys 64. l

The instrument can be used to determine the type of silk, that is tosay, the weight of IIJ a 'ven length of thread. In this case, it is scient to take a bobbin, take the weiglitof it, place it on theinstrument, roll on it a known length of silk and weight it.

It is necessary therefore to arrange a method by which the instrumentstops automatically when a certain length of thread has passed throughit. It is just as desirable as making it go without stoppingautomatically.

With this object, recourse is had to the following system (Fig. 11 and12).

A disc 70, whose movement arises from that of the drum by means of anendless screw, is divided into a certain number of equal parts, whichforms a certain number of notches.

A system'of two' levers 71 and 72 is supported, on the circumference ofthis disc. The lever 71 carries a pulley 73 and a boss 74. which servesto fix precisely the stopping point of the machine. This lever issupported against the disc by the spring 75.

Mounted on the same axis 82, the lever 72 rests on the lever 71 for itis driven by the spring 52. This lever carries, isolated by a fibreplate,.a contact screw 76 which rests permanently against the screw 77of the first lever, which closes the circuit of the motor. When theinstrument is working, the, disc turns, the pulley 73 and the boss 74*follow the notches, the lever 71 moves, but the lever 72 will movealong with it, and there is no breakage in the contact of the screws 76and 7 7 and, consequently, no stopping. of the motor.

But the instrument includes a handle 78, moving on an axis 79 (Fig. 12)whose extremity 80 crosses the supporting plate and can hold up the end81 of the lever 72. It is seen that, if the handle 78 is lowered, thelever 71 will follow the notches of the disc 70, but that, each time thelever 71 falls in the hollow of a notch, the lever 72 being held upseparated, the two screws 76 and 77 will be separated and, consequently,therewill be a stoppage of the instrument. The spacofthread on thebobbin.

It 'is evident and follows from what precedes that the invention is notat all limited to the single method of manufacture men-- all thevariations in execution based on the same working principle. J

V of increasing diameter in combination with loose pulleys havinggrooves on their periphcry for engagement by the thread and to permitmovement of the thread longitudinally of said loose pulleys, a supporton which the loose pulleys are mounted, means for imparting a to and fromovement to the support and means to record variations in the tension ofthe thread.

2. In thread-tensioning apparatus of the type referred to in which thethread is given a constant stretching, thread engaging rollers ofincreasing diameter in combination with loose pulleys with grooves ontheir periphery for engagement by the thread and to permit movement ofthe thread longitudinally of said loose pulleys, a support on which theloose pulleys are mounted, means for impart ing a to andv fro movementto the support,

an oscillating device'actuated by variation in to and fro movement tothe support, an oscillating device actuated by variation in the tensionof the thread under tension, :1. winding bobbin, means to rotate thesame, and means to regulate the rotation of the winding bobbin to causethe same to regulate the tension of the thread during the passage of thethread from the tensioning means to the winding bobbin and means torecord variations in the tension of the thread.

4. In thread tensioning apparatus of the type referred to in which thethread is given "a constant stretching, thread engaging rollers "ofincreasing diameter in combination with loose pulleys having grovesontheir periphcry for engagement by the thread and to permit movement ofthe thread longitudinally ing of the notches will be regulated so thatat each stoppage there will be the desired length of said loose pulleys,a support on which the loose pulleys are mounted, means for imparting ato and fro movement to the support, an oscillating device actuatedbyvariations in the tension of the thread under tension, a winding bobbin,means to rotate the same and means to regulate the rotation of thewinding bobbin to cause the same to regulate the tension of the threadduring the passage of the thread from the tensioning means to thewinding bobbin and means to record variations in the tension of thethread..

5. In threadtensioning apparatus of the class described, a plurality oftensioning drums, means to rotate the same, a plurality of pulleysarranged opposite the tensionin drums, pressure rollers for movement toand means to record the variations in the tension of the thread.

In Witness whereof I afiix my signature.

ANDRE CORNET.

